Foldable table



1962 F. SCHLEGEL 3,049,387

FOLDABLE TABLE Filed March 5, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F ail ATTORNEY F. SCHLEGEL FOLDABLE TABLE Aug. 14, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 5, 1960 INVENTOR ATTORNEY F. SCHLEGEL FOLDABLE TABLE Aug. 14, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 5, 1960 g INVENTOR fled'c/ ie eZ ATTORNEY BYGE Q F. SCHLEGEL Aug. 14, 1962 FOLDABLE TABLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 3. 1960 INVENTOR fl'ea 5'c%Z 9eZ BY (Ra ATTORNEY United Patent 3,049,387 FGLDABLE TABLE Fred Schlegel, Rte. 1, Box 152A, Ceresco, Mich. Filed Mar. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 12,525 12 Claims. (Cl. 311-89) The present invention relates broadly to a table, and in its specific phases to a novel table in which the top is formed of two halves hinged together for folding one onto the other, and in which the legs are uniquely mounted and also foldable, thereby providing for compact storage when not in use. The table is shown as octagonal and having peripheral pockets adapting it for playing poker or other card games, but no novelty is claimed for these characteristics by themselves alone.

Card tables have long been used and practically all of them have a non-foldable square or round top and have one-piece legs hinged on the under face of same. A few such tables have also been proposed with a folding top and equally spaced legs hinged on the underface of same. These latter constructions have substantially universally been rather complex in construction and not easily foldable without considerable practice. It was a recognition of this situation and the complete lack of a thoroughly satisfactory folding table with non-equally spaced legs foldably mounted on the under side of same which led to the conception and development of the present invention.

Accordingly among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novel foldable table in which one half of the table top is foldable onto the other half before folding any of the legs, in which said other half is provided with a sufficient number of legs to stably support it both when in use and when said one half is folded onto it, and in which said one half is provided with a leg which stably supports it in position for use and may be easily folded after folding of said one half onto said other half while the latter is leg-supported, after which the table may be tilted on edge and the legs of said other half conveniently folded. Unusual compactness and convenience in folding is thus atttained, and the same is true of unfolding for use.

Another object is to provide a simple, novel and effec tive construction for pivotally connecting the legs with the table top and for rigidly bracing said legs when in operative position.

A further object is to provide a simple, novel and effective connecting means between upper and lower sections of some of the foldable legs.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the folding table means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings, and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a preferred form of the table in readiness for use.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view as indicated by arrow 2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan view, partly broken away, showing parts of the half of the table top provided with a plurality of legs.

FIGURE 4 is a similar view showing part of the half of the table top having but one leg.

FIGURE 5 is substantially a diametrical section view as taken on line 5--'5 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and indicating by dotted lines an initial folding step.

FIGURE 6 is a. substantially center sectional view showing the table folded for storage, the leg brackets and braces being omitted for clarity of illustration and to avoid confusion.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view showing one of the assemblies for leg mounting and bracing.

FIGURE 8 is a view at a right angle to that of FIG- URE 7, as indicated by the arrow 8 of the latter.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary detail horizontal sectional view as taken on line 99 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is a vertical sectional view showing the means for connecting the upper and lower sections used in two of the table legs.

While a preferred construction of my folding table is shown in the drawings, and will be rather specifically described, attention is invited to the possibilty of making further variations within the sprit and scope of the invention as herein shown and described.

One half 12a, FIGURE 1, of the table top is connected by conventional concealed hinges 13 to the other half 12. The half 12 is provided with two foldable, onepiece, and preferably tubular legs 14 near the ends of its hinged edge 15 and pivotally mounted on axes 16, FIGURE 1, transverse to said hinged edge, to fold i-nwardly into overlapping relation as shown in FIGURE 6,, in which they are parallel with said hinged edge 15. The half 12 also has a foldab'le, two piece, tubular leg 17 remote from the hinged edge 15 and centrally located with respect to the legs 14. The half 12a has a single tubular, two piece, leg 17a remote from its hinged edge 15a and located opposite the leg 17. The legs 17 and 17a, FIGURE 2, are each formed of two pivotally connected sections 18 and 19 with the upper sections 18 pivoted on axes 20, FIGURE 1, which are parallel with the hinged edges 15 and 15a. The lower section 19 is foldable adjacent the side of upper sections 18, and the two sections 18 and 19 are then jointly foldable inwardly as shown in FIGURE 6.

After use of the table, the half 12a is folded onto the half '12 before folding the leg 17a, as seen in dotted lines in FIGURE 5. This is done while the half 12 is stably supported by its three legs 14 and 17. Then the leg 17a may be easily folded, after which the table may be turned on edge and the legs 14 and 17 folded. The compact relation of elements shown in FIGURE 6 then exists for storage and may be maintained until further use of the table is required by a strap 21 and buckle 22 provided for the purpose. By reversing the folding steps, the table may be easily unfolded for use.

For mounting the two legs 14 and the two legs 17 and 17a, four brackets 23 are provided, said brackets being secured .to frames 24 and 24a embodied in the construction of the table top halves 12 and 126: respectively. All of the brackets 23 and elements associated therewith have certain structure in common, but each of the two brackets which mount the legs 17 and 17a has an additional bracket portion 23a, FIGURES 3 and 4. Rivets 25' are shown securing the various brackets to the frames 24 and 24a. The construction of each bracket 23 and the association of elements therewith are shown best in FIGURES 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9, and in the latter views the construction associated with one of the legs 14- i shown as typical.

The bracket 23 includes a vertically disposed, horizontally elongated plate 26, FIGURES 3 and 4, having an integral horizontally projecting arm 27 at one end. The other end 28 of the plate 26 is disposed at a widely obtuse angle to the major portion of said plate to conform to the frame 24 or 24a and is provided with a lug 29 projecting in the same direction as the arm 27. The outer end portion of this arm 27 is outwardly offset away from the lug 29, as shown at 30.

The leg 14, FIGURES 7 and 8, is pivoted by means of a rivet 31 to the inner end portion of the arm 27, in the angle between this arm and the plate 26, FIGURES 3 and 4. An inclined brace 32, FIGURE 8, is secured at its lower end to the leg by means of a rivet 33; and the upper end of said brace is pivoted to the lug 29 by means of a rivet 34 which is alined with the leg-pivoting rivet 31. The leg and brace are thus swingable as a unit when folding the leg.

The rivet 31, FIGURE 8, may extend only through the wall of the leg. The rivet 33, however, extends diametrically through the leg and is specially shaped, at the end opposite the brace 32, to provide a projection 35 which extends radially from said leg. This projection, as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, has a somewhat enlarged inner end portion 36 abutting the leg, a moderately tapered end portion 37 which is still larger than said portion 36, and which i largest at its outer end of this tapered portion 37 is preferably bevelled down to the portion 36, as shown at 39.

An inclined and pivoted brace link 40, FIGURES 3 and 7 is pivoted at its upper end to the free end of the bracket arm 27 by means of a rivet 41; and the lower end of this link 40 is connected with the leg through the instrumentality of the projection 35. The link 44) has a longitudinal slot 42 of a width to receive the portion 36 of the projection 35. The slot 42, however, has an enlarged lower end 43 in which the moderately tapered end portion 37 of the projection 35 is received and gripped, FIGURES 7 and 9, when the leg and link are in their extended operative positions. The link 40 thus P events folding of the leg until said link is so sprung from said moderately tapered portion 37 that the small-diameter portion 36 may enter the slot 42, at which time leg folding is permitted. The link 40 is tensioned laterally to snap outwardly and bind on the moderately tapered portion 37 when the leg is returned to operative extended position, thereby again wedgingly seating the portion 37 of the projection 35 in the enlarged slot end 43, which, preferably has a correspondingly taper to that of portion 27. During this snap movement of the link 49, the bevel 39 guides the moderately tapered portion 37 into the enlarged slot end 43 to firmly hold leg 14 in extended position.

The upper and lower sections 18 and 19 of each of the legs 17 and 17a are preferably connected in a manner best seen in FIGURE 10. The sections 18 and 19 abut on a line 44; and the upper section 13 has a knuckle 45 spaced above said line 44 and welded to said upper section. The lower section 19 has a welded-on arm 46 which freely projects above the line 44 and is provided with portions which straddle the knuckle 45 and abut the ends of the latter. On of these portions is shown at 460. The two portions 46a are pivotally connected to the knuckle by a rivet 47 extending therethrough.

At the side of the upper leg section 18, opposite to that carrying the knuckle 45, said leg section has a longitudinal slot 48. At the same side of the leg section 18, a vertically movable and slotted slide 49 is mounted by a sholdered rivet 50 to slide on said leg section 18. A central lower end portion of the slide 49 is inwardly stamped to provide a projection 51 extending freely through the slot 48, in leg section 18 and a tongue 52 extending downwardly from said projection. When the two leg sections 18 and 19 are alined, and the slide 49 occupies a lowered position, as shown in FIGURE 1O, the tongue 52 abuts the inner side of the lower leg section 19 and prevents this leg section 19 from swinging about hinge rivet 47 with respect to the upper section 18. When the slide 49 is moved upward to released position, however, the section 19 may be folded onto the section 18 about hinge rivet 47 and the two sections then unitarily dfolded into compact relation with the table top as shown in FIGURE 6.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous construction has been disclosed for attaining the desired ends. However, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the obvious spirit and scope of the invention as shown and described herein. For ease of describing the invention when the table is in upright position as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, directional terms such as upper, lower, inward, outward, downwardly, upward, et cetera have been used, but such are not to be considered as limiting the invention since the relationship of the parts to one another is the same regardless of the position taken by the table.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the table and combinations herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A foldable four leg table having a top portion formed of two halves hinged together to allow one half to be folded onto the other half, said other half having three foldable legs, hinge means connecting said legs to said top portion in position to stably support it in operative position and to stably support it when said one half is folded onto it, said one half having only one foldable leg, and hinge means connecting said leg to said top portion in position to support it in operative position.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which all of said foldable legs have a releasable latching brace at the table top end of same.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which two of said legs are adjacent one side of said top portion hinge while said two foldable legs most remote from said table top hinge comprise upper sections pivoted at their upper ends to the table top portion, lower sections pivoted to the lower end said upper sections, and releasable means for normally holding said upper and lower sections against relative pivotal movement.

4. In a four legged foldable table, a top portion formed of two halves hinged together to allow one half to be folded onto the other half, said other half having two legs pivotally mounted on the top portion thereof near the ends respectively of its hinged edge, said two legs of said other half being pivoted to same on axes transverse to said hinged edge to fold into parallel relation adjacent said hinged edge, said other half also having a third leg remote from said hinged edge and centrally located with respect to said two legs, said third leg being pivoted to the top portion of said other half on an axis parallel with said hinged edge to fold toward the same; said one half being provided with a single leg opposite said third leg and pivoted to the top portion of said one half on an axis parallel with the hinged edge thereof but remote therefrom and in position to fold toward the latter, said third leg of said other half and said single leg of said one half each comprising an upper and a lower section hinged together for relative folding, and releasable means normally preventing this relative folding.

5. A table with foldable top and multiple legs, each of said legs having a leg mounting bracket which connects said leg to the underside of said table top, said bracket comprising a vertical plate having an integral arm projecting horizontally therefrom, said plate also having an integral lug spaced laterally from said arm and projecting in the same direction as said arm; a leg pivoted to the inner end portion of said arm; an inclined brace secured at its lower end to said leg, the upper end of said brace being connected to said lug on an axis alined with the leg pivot, an inclined brace link having its upper end pivoted to the outer end of said arm on an axis parallel with said leg pivot, and connecting means for connectinng the lower end of said brace link with said leg to hold the latter in operative position, said means being releasable to permit folding of the leg to the underside of said table top.

6. A structure as specified in claim 5, in which said leg connecting means of said brace link comprises a longitudinal slot in said brace link with said slot having an enlarged lower end, and an outward projection on said leg, said projection having a portion of relatively large size tightly receivable in said enlarged end of said slot to hold the leg in operative position, said projection also having a portion of relatively small diameter to slide in said brace link slot during leg folding after said brace link has been sprung from engagement with said leg. projection portion of relatively large size.

7. A structure as specified in claim 5, in which said leg connecting means of said brace link comprises a longitudinal slot in said brace link, with said slot having an enlarged lower end, and an outward projection on said leg, said projection having a portion of relatively large size tightly receivable in said enlarged end of said slot to hold the leg firmly in operative position, said projection also having a portion of relatively small diameter to slide in said brace link slot during leg folding after said brace link has been sprung from engagement with said leg projection portion of relatively large size, said portion of relatively small diameter being disposed between the leg and said portion of relatively large size, the outer end of the latter being sutficiently large to engage the relatively large size opening in said brace link when this link is engaged with said leg projection portion of relatively large size.

8. A structure as specified in claim 5, in which said leg connecting means of said brace link comprises a longitudinal slot in said brace link with said slot having an enlarged lower end, and an outward projection on said leg, said projection having a portion of relatively large size tightly receivable in said enlarged end of said slot to hold the leg firmly in operative position, said projection also having a portion of relatively small diameter to slide in said brace link slot during leg folding after said brace link has been sprung from engagement with said leg projection portion of relatively large size, said leg projection portion being formed by one end of a rivet which extends through the table leg and secures the lower end of said brace to said leg.

9. A table with a hingedly foldable top and multiple legs, pivot means for pivotally connecting the upper end of each of said legs to the underside of said table top with two of said legs being foldable alongside the hinge of said top, an inclined pivoted brace link for each leg to normally prevent folding of said leg toward the table top, the pivots of said leg and brace link being parallel, said brace link having a longitudinal slot provided with an enlarged lower end, said leg having an outward projection for engaging the lower end of said said brace link when said leg is unfolded, said projection having an outwardly tapered portion of relatively large size tightly receivable in said enlarged end of said slot to hold the leg firmly in unfolded operative position, said projection also having a portion of relatively small diameter to slide in said slot during leg folding after said brace link has been sprung from engagement with said outwardly tapered portion of relatively large size.

10. A table with a hingedly'foldable top and multiple legs, pivot means for pivotally connecting each of said legs to the under side of said table top, with two of said legs being foldable alongside the hinge of said top, and two others remote from said table top hinge and foldable perpendicular thereto, an inclined pivoted brace link for each leg to normally prevent folding of said leg toward the table top, the pivots of said leg and brace link being parallel, said brace link having a longitudinal slot provided with an enlarged lower end, said leg having an outward projection at the lower end of said brace link, said projection having a portion of relatively large size tightly receivable in said enlarged end of said slot to hold the leg firmly in operative position, said projection also having a portion of relatively small diameter to slide in said slot during leg folding after said brace link has been sprung from engagement with said portion of relatively large size, said portion of relatively small diameter being disposed between the leg and said portion of relatively large size, the outer end of the latter being enlarged and against which the enlarged opening of said brace link abuts and holds when this link is engaged with said projecting portion of relatively large size.

11. A structure as specified in claim 9, in which said projection is formed by one end of a rivet which extends through said leg, and a second brace for said leg, said second brace having its upper end pivoted coaxially with the corresponding table leg and having its lower end secured to said leg by the other end of said rivet.

12. A table with a foldable top portion and multiple legs for supporting same, pivot means for pivotally connecting each of said legs to the underside of said table top portion, at least part of said legs having an upper tubular section and a lower tubular section abutting each other, a knuckle secured to one side of said upper section and spaced upwardly from its lower end, an arm secured to the same side of said lower section and projecting upwardly therefrom, said arm having a forked upper end straddling said knuckle and pivoted thereto, a slide mounted for vertical movement on said upper section opposite said knuckle, said upper section having a slot which opens through its lower end, said slide having an inward projection extending through said slot, and a tongue projecting downwardly from said inward projection, said tongue being engageable with the inner side of said lower leg section when said slide is forced downwardly to operative position where it holds said leg sections in substantially fixed longitudinal alignment with each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 167,924 Orgill Sept. 21, 1875 719,146 Schofied Jan. 27, 1903 1,614,187 Coggins Jan. 11, 1927 1,727,833 Kress et a1 Sept. 10, 1929 1,838,352 Anderson Dec. 29, 1931 2,020,014 Boenning Nov. 5, 1935 2,270,217 North Jan. 13, 1942 2,398,693 Bureau Apr. 16, 1946 2,595,725 Sutton May 16, 1952 2,702,222. Puls et a1. Feb. 15, 1955 2,868,602 Drezner Jan. 13, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,187,223 French Sept. 8, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,049,387 August 14, 1962 Fred Schlegel It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 20, for "sprit" read spirit column 3, line 21, after "end" insert The inner end column 5, line 57, strike out "said", second occurrence.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of April 1963.:

(SEAL) Atteet:

ESTON G. JOHNSON Atteeting Officer DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents 

